I just got a Remington 700 Mountain Rifle in 7x57. I'm looking to put a petite-ish scope on it for weight purposes, & so that the rig will slip neatly into a saddle scabbard.

My benchmark scope is the Zeiss Conquest 3-9x40 I have on another rifle. I absolutely love it. However, I'm also aware of where things fall along the price/value continuum.

I'm thinking in the 2-7x3_ sort of range. My leaders would be the Browning (private-labelled by Bushnell in 3200 specs) at $124.95 and the Nikon Monarch (old style) at $189.95. The latter seems to be quite a bargain.

I own a Browning in 3-9x40, & it's decent. I've never owned a Monarch, but their reputations are wonderful. Would the Nikon be appreciably brighter or sharper? Would either 2-7 be shorter, or lighter, or outpace the other in some dimension I haven't considered?

I'm aware of the 2.5-8 Conquest, but at $479 it's out of the running in this one. Dittothe 2.5-8 Leupold VXII at $299 (more $$ for less glass IMHO), as well as theVXIII at $399 (possibly slightly better glass for $200 more).

Ideas? Comments?

Thanks!

FC